Safety dispensing device



July 17, 1923 a M. F. MILLOT SAFETY DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Sept. 1919Patented July 117, HQZB.

names rnanoorfs MILLOT, or rants, manor.

SAFETY DISPENSING DEVICE.

Application filed September 5, 1919. Serial No. 321,954.

T 0 all whom it may. concern Be it known that MARIUS FRANQOIS MIL- Lor,of Paris, France, a citizen of the French Republic, has invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Safety Dispensmg Devices,-of which thefollowing is a specification.

The distribution of inflammable liquids such as benzine from storagereceptacles by means of a compressed inert gas has been carried on forsome years in various places particularly in large store-houses.

In all these installations the drawing ofi of the liquid is effected bysending into the reservoir in .which it is contained a compressed inertgas which exercises its pressure on the surface of the liquid and forcesit out through a pipe that is immersed or dips into the interior of thereservoir. The consequence is that in case of fire, if the safetyapparatus intended to destroy this pressure do not act or if the raisingpipe breaks the whole body of liquid contained in the reservoir isdifiused outside. Moreover even if the safety apparatus acts aconsiderable time is required for destroying the pressure of a quantityof gas which sometimes amounts to more than 2000 litres and during thistime the inflammable liquid is continuously thrown into the zone offire. The present invention is intended to obviate these seriousdifficulties by the carrying out of an arrangement in which the pressureof the inert gas is not exercised on the surface of the liquid in thereservoir but in a receptacle of small capacity immersed in this latter.Owing to this arrangement the pressure in the reservoir does not exceedthe atmospheric pressure and in case of accident only the small quantityof liquid in the auxiliary receptacle escapes outside.

The accompanying drawing given by way of example illustrates one of themethods of carrying out this invention.

Fig. 1 is a section of the whole arrangement.

Figs. 2 and 3 are views of details.

The novel arrangement comprises a reservoir A preferably made of sheetiron in cylindrical or rectangular form the bottom of which is extendedas a well P formed by a cylinder similar to the steam dome of alocomotive but inverted the top being underneath.

In the interior of the well P and im- B is furnished mersed in theliquid is a closed cylindrical receptacle B the capacity of which variesfor example from 10 to 100 litres according to the quantities of liquidto be drawn off.

This receptacle rests on a support at the bottom of the well P. Theliquid enters the receptacle B throu h one or two openings S eachclosed-by a a valve when the pres-.' sure of the liquid in thereceptacle reaches a certain height.

Two pipes C, D, communicate with the receptacle B. The first pipe Cwhich runs to the bottom of the receptacle serves for conveyin% theliquid into a measuring receptacle of the same capacity as thereceptacle B. The second pipe D conveys the compressed gas into thereceptacle B. To the pipe D a three way cock R is connected whichenables the compressed gas to be conveyed from the container G into thereceptacle B when it is turned into'the position indicated in Fig. 2 orthe gas to be conveyed from the receptacle B to mg column 0 when it isput in the position indicated in Fig. 3 the effect of which is not onlyto stop the ascent of the liquid through the lowering of pressureproduced in the rein the raising column C to descend again.

.Themeasuring receptacle E the capacity of which 1s equal to that of thereceptacle eating tube which measures the quantity of liquid which itcontains. A pipe F runs from the upper part of the measuring receptacleto the reservoir A with which it is connected through the medium of awider pipe F. The pipe F serves for conveying into the reservoir A apart of the inert gas which replaces the liquid that is discharged. A.spring valve S placed on the pipe F and regulated so'as to open when thepresthe top of the raiswith a graduated level indisure exceedstheatmospheric pressure serves for discharging outside the gas that is inexcess.

An ordinary pressure gauge M communicates on the one hand with the flaskof compressed gas G and on the other hand with the cock R. A float Z thegraduated rod of which extends in the interior of the pipe F completesthe installation. A sight glass V enables the graduations' on the floatrod to be read.

The filling of the reservoir is efiected through the pipe H which duringthe rest of the time is closed. During the filling the gas in thereservoir A escapes through the valve S unless it be desired to recoverit by I receptacle E and running to the outside.

At the junction of the pipes C and D a valve S is provided forpreventing the liquid from entering the pipe D in case by error theadmission of the gas has been adjusted to too high a pressure. Thiserror moreover would be without consequence since the liquid that hadentered the pipe D would return to the reservoir when the cock R hadreturned to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The working of this arrangement is very simple as it is comprised in theopening and the closing of the cock R. i

The reservoir A having been filled the cock of the flask G is regulatedfor the admission of the gas to the pressure gauge at the pressuredesired and the cock B being in the position of rest (Fig. 3) this cockR is turned a Quarter turn in order to bring. it into the position shownin Fig. 2. The gas then entering the pipe D exercises its pressure onthe liquid in the receptacle B and causes it to enter the measuringreceptacle E. When the level of the indicating tube indicates that themeasuring receptacle contains the uantity of liquid to be delivered thecock is closed, that is to say is put into the position of repose as inFig. 3. At this moment a lowering of pressurev occurs in the receptacleB and a compression at the top of the raising column 0. The liquidcontained in that column then returns to the reservoir and the gasescapes through the pipe F.

The stopping of the ascent of the liquid is nearly instantaneous,because having regard l1 1,4ca,sea

to the small volume of gas employed the lowering f pressure in thereceptacle B and the compression at the toppf the ascending 0015111111takes place in less than half a secon The gas which has escaped throu hthe pipe F and the valve S having broug t the gas in the receptacle B toatmospheric pressure a fresh quantity of liquid enters the receptacle Bthrough the opening of the valve S and the operation may begin again aslong as there is liquid in the reservoir A.

'When at rest, the empty part of the reservoir, all the pipes and themeasuring receptacle are full of inert gas under atmospheric pressure sothat all can be destroyed by the fire on the surface of the groundwithaut the fire being able to spread to the reservoir, the liquid inwhich does not escape.

In case of the ascending column being broken during the drawing ofi andthe person in charge forgetting at this moment to close the cock B onlythe small quantity of liquid in the receptacle B will escape.

I claim Apparatus for the storage and distribution of inflammableliquids comprising a main storage reservoir, an auxiliary receptaclesupplied with liquid from said reservoir, a measuring vessel, a liquidraising column connecting the bottom part of the auxiliary receptaclewith the bottom of the measuring vessel, a pipe connecting the top ofthe auxiliary receptacle with the top of the liquid raising column at apoint above the measuring vessel, a three way cock in said pipe, and aflask containing an inert gas under pressure connected to said cock.

In testimony whereof he has afiixed his signature, in presence of awitness.

MARIUS FRANQOIS MILLOT. Witness: 1

CHAS. P. PnnssLY.

